Show Don't Tell: Psalm 144

Instead of saying "God fights for David and blesses the nation," watch the heavens tear. Of David. "Praise be to the LORD my Rock, who trains my hands for war, my fingers for battle." Rock trainer—combat instructor. Hands and fingers learning warfare. "He is my loving God and my fortress, my stronghold and my deliverer, my shield, in whom I take refuge, who subdues peoples under me." Six titles: loving God, fortress, stronghold, deliverer, shield, subduer. "LORD, what are human beings that you care for them, mortals that you think of them? They are like a breath; their days are like a fleeting shadow." Echo of Psalm 8—but darker. Breath, shadow, fleeting. "Part your heavens, LORD, and come down; touch the mountains, so that they smoke. Send forth lightning and scatter the enemies; shoot your arrows and rout them. Reach down your hand from on high; deliver me and rescue me from the mighty waters, from the hands of foreigners." Theophany requested—heavens parting, mountains smoking, lightning scattering, arrows routing, hand reaching. "I will sing a new song to you, my God; on the ten-stringed lyre I will make music to you, to the One who gives victory to kings, who delivers his servant David." Victory song promised. Then the vision of blessing: "Then our sons in their youth will be like well-nurtured plants, and our daughters will be like pillars carved to adorn a palace. Our barns will be filled with every kind of provision. Our sheep will increase by thousands, by tens of thousands in our fields; our oxen will draw heavy loads. There will be no breaching of walls, no going into captivity, no cry of distress in our streets. Blessed is the people of whom this is true; blessed is the people whose God is the LORD."